Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-11-05
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
KATE CHASE SPRAGUe AND HER
STAGE STRUCK DAUGHTER.
Roscoe C0nkling and His Future-What
Hen Butler Make. nt Law and Spends
in Politics-Hog~r A. Pryor and His
Career-Edgerton and Oberly.

in Politics-Hoger 4. Pryor and Hi
Career-Edgerton and Oberiy.
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, Oct Sl-Mrs. Kate Chas<
Sprague will be in America by the time thi.
letter Is published She intends Ia return e
the United States for god. and she says she
feels Ike an exile while the is In France HeI
property near here has becone very valuable
from the great rise in suburban real estate il
Washington Ii is called Edgewood. and thu
house commands II fine view of the Capito
and the Potomac Ii is an old fashioned
mansion, but Is large and roomy, and i,
would be just the thing for the country seat
of a statesman | understand that the prop
,rty will be offered for sale. but il may be
that the steady rise Of suburban property will
lead Mrs. Spraguc TO hold on to If. Mrs
Sprasue WAS wrapped up in her father, Chief
Justice Chase, and Edgewood was his country
home. The sentiment connected with i,
would lead her TO retain il, but il is very
doubtful whether she can afford ii.
Several years ago she was not in the best Of
circumstances, and l found in an antiquity
store on Third avenue, New York, a silver
pitcher and couple of silver can,ielabra
Sprague and had been left by her TO be sold
She had, perhaps, during her great social
reign as many beautiful things as any woman
il the United States, and at the auction which
took place at Canonchet after she first left for
France a single cabinet was sold which cost
her $4,000. This WIS formerly the property
Of Marie Antoinet e, and among the other
things sold were q siumber Of Mrs. Spragues
personal effects, e, Ell to her pincushion. Had
such an auction taken place in Washington
the articles would have sold for their full
value. Washington has a throng of steady
auction goers, and the sales of the effects of
Statesmen bring such high prices that when
Gu auction is held cheap imitation stuff is
sometimes sinuggled in and sold for several
times its original price to the highest bidder.
Ethel Sprague, the daughter OF Mrs. Kate
Chase Sprague, proposes 10 SO on the stage.
She has studied for it, both in France ard in
England, and Henry Irving has promised
her that ne will give her all the assistance he
can. She wants to he a tragedienne, and her
greatest ambition is to personats Lady Mac
beth. Ethel Sprague is now Is years old.
She is tall, dark and beautiful. She has
pretty teeth, and her figure is as evenly
rounded as that of the Venus de Melos. She
is full Of enthusiasm, and she SAYS her mother
has consented to allow her to become an
actress Mrs. Kate Chase Sprague would
have made an accomplished actress herself,
and her life during her fathers campaign for
the nomination to the presidency was per-
haps trying as that of any woman who
has attempted TO portray the character of
another her life has been one series of trag-
edies. She was the queen of Washington So
ciety while she remained in it, and no one dis
puted her right to the position She ruled
nearly every statesman with whom she came
in contact.
By the way. I saw Senator Conkling in
New York this week. He is hale and hearty
and he weighs twenty-five pounds more than
he did when he left the United States senate.
His golden locks have, however, turned TO sill
vcr. and The curl which hangs over his fore
head is as white as the driven SNOW. |
caught only glimpse of him, but it seemed
to me that he had los { sou of the dudish airs
he affected at Washington. and he was,
though well dressed, more carelessly attired
than have ever seen him. He wore a rough
blue sack coat and his head was crowned with
a military slouch- He coins, l understand,
from ssa.oO0 to $4,000 yearly, but he
inourns. doubt not. for the fi.shpots of pol
itics. No statesman who has had the adula-
;.,.. s,.owered upon him which has fallen TO
the lot of Senator Coukling can he content
with the humdrum life of lawyer. The
almighty dollar Is a god which faiis TO sat
isiy such men, and ConklnSs friends hope
that some occasion VIII thrust him again into
the swim He has only one chance,
so ex-fostmas:cr General Cresweh says,
or becoming political leader lhls
chance would arise should some great issue
come before the country, and ConkIInS, by
his wonderful eloquence, he noted as Its
leader. This issue would have to be q strik-
ing one. and one which would swallow up
persons in principles A war with Great
Britain or some other power might furnish